Leaf cleanup idea

[stan the man]

Originally Posted by greenstarlawns

Here is the deal, in my yard I have to make 3 trips to the dump to unload my leaves each fall. I'm using a 6x16 trailer with 2 foot sides and I pack the sh!t out of them to only make 3 trips. Its rarely ever more than 2500 lbs on there but its leaves. It takes me about 2 hours to load it and then I have to drive to the dump 15 mins each way. While at the dump I have to unload by hand, blower or kicking. Yes I know about using a pallet and rope to unload, but there is no achor point at this location. This is not an extreme case here I just have several large hardwood trees. That being said most home owners would have a much harder time than that to get rid of theirs. I think most people are like me and would gladly pay $100 plus dollars not to have to deal with that. It may only take you 30 minutes to suck them up and 30 minutes at the dump, but it would take the average Joe 12 hours to do the same thing. So if you are looking at it that way take a 12 hour job and do it for $100, you just worked for $8.33 by average Joe's standards. Just because you did it faster doesn't mean its worth less, it just means you're more efficiant, I would never discount myself for being faster.

Say you are a home builder and you are really fast at building homes. You can build a house with the same design, spec and quality as my crew but in only 2 weeks start to finish and my crew takes 3 months. Are you going to sell your home any cheaper because of it, we are selling are homes in the same area. As a fellow home builder you're going to piss me off if you sell your home for 60% less than mine just because you have the fastest crew. That would sour the whole market. Just give that some thought before being the loswest bidder and I'm not just talking to one person here, I'm talking to everyone.

will put if someone would to come and do my and house and my 3 rental houses 50.00 each bring it on and i do have a dump spot in back of my barn. they are all in the same area my house 3 truck loads and the 3 rental are about 1 1/2 truck loads each that would be 150.00 for all them.

[yardguy28]

well i know for me this business is about selling time NOT efficiency. so yes if i can get the job done quicker i'm gonna have a cheaper price.

if i look at a property and can get it done in 3 man hours thats what the client will pay. no matter what equipment i use.

i have properties that if the client would get a larger gate opening to where i could get larger equipment in i'd be willing to lower the price per cut. it'd save me the hassle of using the 21 incher.

[Darryl G]

Trust me, once the customer has the leaves in a pile, it's an emergency for them to get rid of them. They want it done NOW!

[knox gsl]

Originally Posted by darryl gesner

Trust me, once the customer has the leaves in a pile, it's an emergency for them to get rid of them. They want it done NOW!

Good point.

[kemco]

Originally Posted by mowerbrad

Well I'm looking over some dump trailer prices and it seems like I will be able to get an 83"x12' for $4899 and seems to be pretty well spec'ed. So I'll have to see what my trailer guys would charge to build me a dump trailer when I'm over there later.

And for a leaf loader I'm looking at $2600 or so for a 13hp billy goat.

I have a 6x12 hydro dump trailer (with 6' side extensions I built - total 16 cu yrd capacity) I bought brand new at the beginning of last season for leaves. I also have a 16 horse little wonder loader. I learned a quick lesson the hard way the first time I took it to the dump. Nothing came out... I mean nothing... My LW shreds the leaves up pretty good, and just the sheer weight of the leaves packs them in like a brick. I have to pay an additional fee to get pull off by a front loader. That's fine, but had I known that I would never have purchased a "dump" trailer. I would have just bought another good large trailer and saved a few thousand dollars. Just sayin'... you might be better off with the same and saving a few large in the process.

[Darryl G]

Did you try backing up and then nailing the brakes or putting it in 4wd (assuming you have it) and flooring it?

[kemco]

Yep. Except for the 4wd I dont have. But I tried the flooring it method in reverse and slamming on the brakes. And just flooring it. Many, many, many times on many different occasions. I swear I would have just bought a large nice non-dumper had I known.

[knox gsl]

Originally Posted by kemco

I have a 6x12 hydro dump trailer (with 6' side extensions I built - total 16 cu yrd capacity) I bought brand new at the beginning of last season for leaves. I also have a 16 horse little wonder loader. I learned a quick lesson the hard way the first time I took it to the dump. Nothing came out... I mean nothing... My LW shreds the leaves up pretty good, and just the sheer weight of the leaves packs them in like a brick. I have to pay an additional fee to get pull off by a front loader. That's fine, but had I known that I would never have purchased a "dump" trailer. I would have just bought another good large trailer and saved a few thousand dollars. Just sayin'... you might be better off with the same and saving a few large in the process.

That doesn't sound right what is the angle of the bed when fully raised and are the leaves wet or dry. Some trailer builders use smaller lift arms and place them farther toward the front to save money, but the draw back is that you cannot get a 45-55 degree dump angle.

[stan the man]

Originally Posted by kemco

I have a 6x12 hydro dump trailer (with 6' side extensions I built - total 16 cu yrd capacity) I bought brand new at the beginning of last season for leaves. I also have a 16 horse little wonder loader. I learned a quick lesson the hard way the first time I took it to the dump. Nothing came out... I mean nothing... My LW shreds the leaves up pretty good, and just the sheer weight of the leaves packs them in like a brick. I have to pay an additional fee to get pull off by a front loader. That's fine, but had I known that I would never have purchased a "dump" trailer. I would have just bought another good large trailer and saved a few thousand dollars. Just sayin'... you might be better off with the same and saving a few large in the process.

only time that has happen to me. is i leave them in over night in the on my truck. i just back and lock them up out them come. riding around will pack them in and harden like bricks . i all so try not to full it to the top leaving some space. i think the box on the back of truck is better then on trailer.

[Big Bad Bob]

Originally Posted by yardguy28

i guess i'm thinking about all the piles of leaves that are already at the curbs of home owners now and the fact that our city comes twice during the fall season to pick up those piles.

i don't really see that as an emergency service or even darn close to one. there is still plenty of time before the snow flies.

now as it gets closer to that time i could see it being more of an emergency service.

i know leaf removal is dirty work. i come home every day with a face full of dust and dirt from mowing up leaves all day.



i would be more likely to.

spending money on equipment that makes us more efficient is not the clients problem.

almost none of the services we offer are emergency have to be done right now and as quick as possible services. most of the equipment we purchase that makes us more efficient is mostly to make our work less physical.

maybe i'm ass backwards. lets use mowing as an example.

lets say you have 2 acres to mow. i would charge something that large out on man hours. pick your piece of equipment 36" wb or 52" stander. the 52" stander is going to get the job done quicker therefor less man hours which equals less money the client is invoiced. at least for me thats the way i do it.

i know some guys charge more the larger the equipment is. which doesn't make sense. you pay more the quicker the job gets done? if that were the case clients would say take all day to cut my grass using your smaller equipment so i can get a cheaper rate.

You are simply leaving money on the table. People are willing to pay more for a once or twice a year service.
Have you ever heard of charging what the market will bear?